Editing Georgian scripts (section)

=== Handwriting of Mkhedruli ===
The following table shows the stroke order and direction of each Mkhedruli letter:{{sfn|Aronson|1990|pp=21–25}}{{sfn|Paolini|Cholokashvili|1629|p=}}{{sfn|Mchedlidze|2013| p= 110}}

[[File:Mkhedruli.svg|750px|center]]

<span style="font-size:170%;">ზ</span>, <span style="font-size:170%;">ო</span>, and <span style="font-size:170%;">ხ</span> (''zeni, oni, khani'') are almost always written without the small tick at the end, while the handwritten form of <span style="font-size:170%;">ჯ</span> (''jani'') often uses a vertical line, [[File:ჯ (other form).png|14px]] (sometimes with a taller ascender, or with a diagonal cross bar); even when it is written at a diagonal, the cross-bar is generally shorter than in print.

*Only four letters are [[x-height]], with neither [[ascender (typography)|ascender]]s nor [[descender (typography)|descender]]s: ა, თ, ი, ო.
*Thirteen have ascenders, like b or d in English: ბ, ზ, მ, ნ, პ, რ, ს, შ, ჩ, ძ, წ, ხ, ჰ
*An equal number have descenders, like p or q in English: გ, დ, ე, ვ, კ, ლ, ჟ, ტ, უ, ფ, ღ, ყ, ც
*Three letters have both ascenders and descenders, like [[thorn (letter)|þ]] in [[Old English]]: ქ, ჭ, and (in handwriting) ჯ. წ sometimes has both ascender and descender in handwriting.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

====Variation====
[[File:Shota Rustaveli Ave. 50.jpg|thumb|Stylistic variation of letters რ and ლ on a [[street name sign]] for [[Rustaveli Avenue]], showing variations in the name [[Shota Rustaveli|Rustaveli]], with {{lang|ka|2=<span style="color: red;">რ</span>უსთავე<span style="color: red;">ლ</span>ის}} resembling {{lang|ka|2=<span style="color: red;">ɦ</span>უსთავე<span style="color: red;">ჺ</span>ის}}.]]
[[File:Police car in Tbilisi (78).jpg|thumb|{{lang|ka-Latn|Mtavruli}}, i.e. [[all-caps]] text, on a Georgian [[police car]]]]
{{CSS image crop
|Image = Tengiz Gurjidze memorial plaque.jpg
|bSize = 300
|cWidth = 250
|cHeight = 280
|oTop = 60
|oLeft = 25
|Location = right
|Description = A commemorative plaque using Mkhedruli for the upper four lines and Mtavruli for the lower two, with each line written in a different typeface and showing variant glyphs, like დ with a single curl and ჯ with reduced second stroke. A ligature of და ("and") with ა placed above დ can be seen in the fourth line.
}}

There is individual and stylistic variation in many of the letters. For example, the top circle of <span style="font-size:170%;">ზ</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|zeni}}) and the top stroke of <span style="font-size:170%;">რ</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|rae}}) may go in the other direction than shown in the chart (that is, counter-clockwise starting at 3 o'clock, and upwards – see the external-link section for videos of people writing).

Other common variants:

* <span style="font-size:170%;">გ</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|gani}}) may be written like <span style="font-size:170%;">ვ</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|vini}}) with a closed loop at the bottom.
* <span style="font-size:170%;">დ</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|doni}}) is frequently written with a simple loop at top, [[File:Doni (other form).svg|15px]].
* <span style="font-size:170%;">კ</span>, <span style="font-size:170%;">ც</span>, and <span style="font-size:170%;">ძ</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|k'ani}}, {{lang|ka-Latn|tsani}}, {{lang|ka-Latn|dzili}}) are generally written with straight, vertical lines at the top, so that for example <span style="font-size:170%;">ც</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|tsani}}) resembles a U with a dimple in the right side.
* <span style="font-size:170%;">ლ</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|lasi}}) is frequently written with a single arc, [[File:Lasi (other form).svg|15px]], a little like a Greek [[rho]] symbol ⟨{{not a typo|ϱ}}⟩. Even when all three are written, they're generally not all the same size, as they are in print, but rather riding on one wide arc like two dimples in it.
* Rarely, <span style="font-size:170%;">ო</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|oni}}) is written as a [[right angle]], [[File:Oni (other form).svg|10px]].
* <span style="font-size:170%;">რ</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|rae}}) is frequently written with one arc, [[File:Rae (other form).svg|10px]], like a Latin {{angbr|h}}.
* <span style="font-size:170%;">ტ</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|t'ari}}) often has a small circle with a tail hanging into the bowl, rather than two small circles as in print, or as an O with a straight vertical line intersecting the top. It may also be rotated a bit clockwise, with the small circles further to the right and not as close to the top.
* <span style="font-size:170%;">წ</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|ts'ili}}) is generally written with a round bowl at the bottom, [[File:Ts'ili (other form).svg|12px]]. Another variation features a triangular bowl.
* <span style="font-size:170%;">ჭ</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|ch'ari}}) may be written without the hook at the top, and often with a completely straight vertical line.
* <span style="font-size:170%;">ჱ</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|he}}) may be written without the loop, like a conflation of ს and ჰ.
* <span style="font-size:170%;">ჯ</span> ({{lang|ka-Latn|jani}}) is sometimes written so that it looks like a hooked version of the Latin {{angbr|X}}.

====Similar letters====

Several letters are similar and may be confused at first, especially in handwriting. 
*For <span style="font-size:170%;">ვ</span> (''vini'') and <span style="font-size:170%;">კ</span> (''k'ani''), the critical difference is whether the top is a full arc or a (more-or-less) vertical line.  
*For <span style="font-size:170%;">ვ</span> (''vini'') and <span style="font-size:170%;">გ</span> (''gani''), it is whether the bottom is an open curve or closed (a loop). The same is true of <span style="font-size:170%;">უ</span> (''uni'') and <span style="font-size:170%;">შ</span> (''shini''); in handwriting, the tops may look the same. Similarly <span style="font-size:170%;">ს</span> (''sani'') and <span style="font-size:170%;">ხ</span> (''khani'').
*For <span style="font-size:170%;">კ</span> (''k'ani'') and <span style="font-size:170%;">პ</span> (''p'ari''), the crucial difference is whether the letter is written below or above x-height, and whether it's written top-down or bottom-up. 
*<span style="font-size:170%;">ძ</span> (''dzili'') is written with a vertical top.